Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-05
MIR. McELHONE,S RECOLLECTIONS.
A Man who Has Reported Several
Generations OF COmgreSsmen.


A Man who Has Reported Several
Generations Of COngressmen.
sTENoGRAPMc REPORTS FoKrY YEARS AGo-CALHoUN,
WEBSTER CLAY. BENTON AND CASs, As SEEN FROM
THE RRPoRTER's DEsk-DAYs WHEN THE RULES
WE'RE ENFORCED.
It's matter Of wonder how the Official report
ers keep up the record OF the House. The report
ing OF set speeches or ordinary running debate is
not beyond the reach OF machine activity. The
wonder comes In when man has irr1tated his OPP
ponents, as Mr.. Bragg does some times and angry
interruptions and retorts are coming hot and fast
from all over the House When everybody is talk
ing at the same time, it is surprising to ind them
all In the Record property named and quoted
Looking down from the gallery one can see Mr..
McElhone, the chief stenOgrapher, or one of his
assistants making his pencil dance over the thick
stin- backed notebook. When there is consider
able of hubbub, the stenographers nose will be
close down TO his work, and 1t gets closer as the
excitement gets greater, and ne never looks up.
SEEING WITH THEIR EARS.
1--WE see with our ears said Mr. McElhone,
when questioned on this matter by STAR re-
porter. "When we hear a man speak we don't
look up to see who he ia. We don't keep our heads
bobbing all around the room when members are
speaking In every direction. Motion and sight is
drinks in the whole House. With o members voice
comes his name, just az plainly as II he said 4 am
MI: so and SO, from Blank, and say this and
down."
Mr.. McElhone has been stenographer OF the House
with one year In the Senate) since he was IL years
old, having gone there right from college. He is
man al1ttle above medium height, with sandy gray
mar cropped short and whiskers of the same shade
he moves about, or rather jumps about the House
WIN nervous activity, and his fingers are always
in motion. He is well informed In parliamentary
matters, Is reader OF books and has fund OF re-
COLLECTIONS OF his associations with public men
who have been in Congress since 1919. He has one
OF the finest private libraries TO be found any
where Seated In his den he Is surrounded by rare
books and souvenirs. His books OF reference cover
almost every conceivable inquiry.
THE FIRST SPEECH HR REPORTED.
He nrst appeared as q congressional stenogra-
pher during the compromise congress. He was
nrst in the senate for q year.
81 remember, he said as he sat in his study the
other evening talking with a STARrepOrter. 81 re-
member that could hardly keep from laughing,
Downs, tan ungainly man with the most ndicu-
lous gestures. He stood with his shoulders thrown
back and all his gestures throughout the speech
But he was nice man, as pleasant and agreeable
as you ever saw. Most OF the statesmen OF those
days were very agreeable and polite In their man
nerS. In those days the congressional reporters
came from England. They did not take everything
said, as Is done now. They reported just what
reference. They exerclsed SD their own discretion
You will see by looking over the old records that
they would wind up sometimes with Messrs. so
and 80, and so and so spoke upon the question.
Mr.. Calhoun, then in the House used to be badly
treated as to reports. The stenographers did not
have TO report him unless they wanted to, and, as
he was d1incult, they did not devote much time TO
him. ! remember, / reported a speech for him
when first went to the house. / was so small
then that members used to take me for page,
greatly TO my Indignation. Calhoun had rapid
conversational style Of speaking that was difficult
70 report for those who got along easily with the
more artificial Oratory OF Clay. He was pleasant
mana sweet man. He stood straight. with a
dignined bearing and like Webster was always
KIND and gentle with boys.
WEBSTER, CLAY, BENTON AND CAss-
"Webster was comparatively easy man to re-
port" he went on. "His language ran so smooth
and musical and was SO full of force. 1t seemed
inspired and spontaneous. The art in his speeches
was not as easily detected as in the speeches made
by Clay. l could always tell when he was going
TO make q speech. Ordinarily he was careless OF
his dress, wearing q steel-pen coat and a high
black cravat. When / saw him in his blue coat
with bright brass buttons, his eyes bright his
his seat, seeing and hearing and knowing every
thing, knew he was going to speak. He had 9
make the most dicult point so clear a That ac you
would wonder why you did not see It that way be-
fore. He possessed great caimness and repose,
a way OF throwing himself back when he spoke.
HIS voice was wen under control and never
harsh. In private life he was iraScible
and irritable. In public he was suave
and remarkable for his great p0liteness
Benton did not like him; did not regard him as q
man OF any learning: Benton used two pairs Of
glasses when he read. He would have one ON bis
nose and would hold the other in his hand, draw
ing them back and forth to get the focus while he
looked at q book and questioned the kentucky
orator as he might schoOlbOy. He was much dis
guSted because Clay pronounced Chihuahua lust
the English sound OF the letters might indicate
instead OF "Chc-UG-Ud." Clay nearly always had
shoe unlaced and his trousers tucked up inside
OF ft.
There probably never was a man so thoroughly
American In Congress as Gen. Cass. He was
q great traveller and a reader Of travels. He
was very fond also OF ale, but ne would never drink
1t from glass. 1t must be in an old stone pitcher
and he would put that up to his mouth and drink
from the nm. In those days there was not much
time lost in parliamentary discussion. The rules
were generally better known to the members, and
" one was violating them all that was necessary
was to call attention to 1t. There was no need OF
long arguments 10 prove it. The rules were plain
and no one attempted to question point OF order